Draft-tree.



PATENTED DEG. 20,1904.

H. T" REEDER.

DRAFT TREE.

' APPLICATION EILED JULY 16, 1904.

I0 MODEL.

- WITNESSES: INVENTOR fizsfoizmum vaonfieeder ATTOR/VE I No. 778,072.

Patented December 20, 1904.

HUSTON THOMPSON REEDER, OF MISSOULA, MONTANA.

DRAFT-TREE.

SPE QIFICATIOIQ forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 778,072, dated December 20, 1904.

Application filed July lfi, 1904. Serial No. 216,877.

To aZZ. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .HUSTON THoMPsoN REEDER, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Missohla, in the county of Misso ula and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Draft-Tree, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

whiflletree to be used in connection with vehicles drawn single or double, plows, harrows, cultivators, or the like. I

The purpose of my invention is to provide a draft-tree in Which a double whiflietree or a swingletree will not break at the center or pivotal point by reason of a cross pull, as when thedraft is on the tree instead ofthe tension being crosswise of the bar of the tree it will be endwise, thus adding to the lifetime of the device and preventing the tree from breaking when under severe tension, under which conditions in the ordinary tree the tension is forward or crosswise directed to the weakest point of the tree namely, its pivotal point which point under the improved form of draft: treeis'reinforced and the tension is not directed thereto.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and

, pointed out in the claims.

. draft-tree.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View of one end portion of the double whifiietree, and Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the central or pivotal portion of the double whifiletree shown.

. A represents the body-bar of a double whiffletree, and B the body-bars of swingletrees carried by the double whifiletree. The body-bar A of the double whififletree is provided with a clip 10, which embraces its central portion and is provided with an opening 11 therein, in which opening a thimble 12 is secured, through the medium of which thimble and clip the double whifiletree is pivotally connected with the vehicle or the machine to The invention consists in a draft-tree or.

ing the bars 16.

be drawn. observed that the body-bar A of the double Under this construction it will be' whiffletree is strengthened at what is usually itsweakest pointnan1ely, its central pointand that the pivot for the body-bar of the said double whifiletree does not pass through the said bar, but through the'clip at a point back of the bar. .In the furtherconstruction of the double whiflletree a brace-bar 13 is coiled around the thimble 12 between the members of the clip 10, and the ends. of the brace-bar 13 are carried forward through openings 14 near the end portions of the body of the said double whififletree, as is best bar A shown in Fig. 1, and are then formed in forwardly-extending loops 15, the material formloops being returned through the said openings 14. The body-bars B of the swingletrees when they are employed in connection with a double whiffietree are likewise braced by bars 16, and the bars 16 just referred to and the brace-bars 13 of the double Whifiietree are made of -round iron or rods of suitable gage. The brace-bars 16 of the swingletrees B are passed at their ends forwardly through openings 17 in the body-bars B and are formed forwardly in open loops 18.

Each body-bar B of each swingletree is provided at its central portion with a reinforcingclip 19, which clip extends rearwardly, and

each of these clips 19 has an opening 20 formed in its rear portion. A thimble 21 is fitted in each of the said openings,- and the brace-bars 16 are coiled around the said thimbles. Each brace-bar 16 for each swingletree is provided at or near its outer end with a fixed collar 22, which in the operation of the draft-tree may possibly engage withthe forward wheels, and these collars prevent such engagement from interfering with the bracethe double whifiietree by means of link-bars 22, which at their rear ends are provided with downwardly-extending sections 23, terminating in eyes 24, through whicheyes the brace-bar 13 of the double whiffletree passes, and at the outer end of each of the said linkbars 22 a downwardly-extending member 25 is formed. These downwardly-extending members 25 are passed through the thimbles These swingletrees are attached to 21 of the swingletrees and through the loops draft loops 15, extending from the body-bar of the Under this construction it will be observed that the body-bars of the double whifiletree and likewise the body-bars of the swingletrees are strengthened at their central or weakest point and that there is no cross strain, the strain or tension being endwise. Thus the draft-tree may be subjected to the most severe trial without having a tendency to breakat the central portion of any of its members, as the pivot-points of all of its members are at the rear of its main members. I desire it to be also understood that when a swingletree only is employed it is constructed in the same manner as the double whifiietree illustrated, the loops extending forwardly from the swingletree, however, being open loops of substantially the type shown in connection with the swingletrees employed in connection with the double whiffietree of the device. It will also be understood that a single whifiletree constructed as shown can be employed as a neck-yoke for wagon-poles. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A draft-tree, comprising a bar having an opening at each end and provided at its center with a rearwardly-extending member hav- 7 ing an opening therein, and a brace-rod engaging at its center the said rearwardly-extending member and having-its ends extending through the openings of the bar and terminating in forwardly-projecting loops.

2. A draft-tree, the draft-bar of which is provided with a central rearwardly-extending clip, a thimble in the said clip, and a bracerod coiled around the thimble and extending from the rear forwardly through the draftbar of the tree, which brace-rod terminates at its ends in loops.

3. A draft-tree consisting of a double whiffletree, a clip secured to the central portion of the draft-bar thereof, extending rearwardly from the draft-bar and having a thimble therein, a brace-rod coiled around the thimble, the ends of the said brace-rod being carried in loop form forwardly through the draft-bar to the said double whifiletree, swingletrees of similar construction to the double whiflletree, and link connecting-bars having loose connection with the brace-bar of the double whiffletree and a pivotal connection with the swingletrees.

4. In draft-trees, a double whifiletree consisting of a draft-bar, aclip secured to the center of the draft-bar, extending rearwardly therefrom, a thimble passed through the said clip at the rear of the draft-bar, a brace-rod coiled around the said thimble and having its forward ends formed in loops extending through the draft-bar in a forward direction, swingletrees, each consisting of a draft-bar, a rearwardly-extending clip at its center, each clip having a thimble therein, b race-l )ars coiled around the thimbles of the swingletrees, being passed through the end portions of the draftbars of the swingletrees, terminating in forwardly-extending open loops, connecting linkbars having sliding movement on the bracerod of the double whifiletree and pivotal connection with the swingletrees and the forwardly-extending loops of the double whifiletree, and keys passed through the said connecting link-bars at a point below the forwardly-extending loops of the double whiiiietree.

5. In draft-trees, a double whifi'letree consisting of a draft-bar, a clip secured to the center of the draft-bar, extending rearwardly therefrom, a thimble passed through the said clip at the rear of the draft-bar, a brace-rod coiled around the said thimble and having its forward ends formed in loops extending through the draft-bar in a forward direction, swingletrees, each consisting of a draft-bar, a rearwardly-extending clip at its center, each clip having a thimble therein, brace-bars coiled around the thimbles of the swingletrees, being passed through the end portions of the draftbars of the-swingletrees, terminating in forwardly-extending open loops, connecting linkbars having sliding movement on the bracerod of the double whifiietree and pivotal connection with the swingletrees and the forwardly-extending loops of the double whiilietree, keys passed through the said connecting link-bars at a point below the forwardlyextending loops of the double whiilletree, and sleeves secured to the brace-rods of the swingletrees near their outer ends.

6. A draft-tree, comprising a bar, a rearwardly-extending clip secured to the center of the bar, a thimble in the clip and a brace-rod engaging at its center the thimble and having its ends engaging the ends of the bar and terminating in for\ ardly-projecting loops.

7. A draft-tree, comprising a bar having an opening at each end, a clip secured to the center of the bar and extending rearwardly, a thimble in the clip, and a brace-rod coiled at its center around the thimble, and having its ends extending through the openings in the bars, the said ends being then bent upon themselves to form loops with the free ends thereof extending through the openings in the said bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

GEO. F. BROOKS, JAMES M. SELF. 

